Insert for a chain link fence

ABSTRACT

An improved insert for a chain link fence wherein a plurality of such inserts, each formed in a shape substantially the same as the square or diamond shaped matrix formed by the wires of the fence crossing over each, are connected to each other entrapping there between the wires from which the fence is formed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of ______, and moreparticularly to ______

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to an insert for a chain link fenceand, in particular, to an improved chain link fence insert which canfunction to improve privacy and provide a decorative effect using theinterwoven wires of the chain link fence which form a wire matrix.

Chain link fences are frequently used for enclosing residential,commercial, agricultural and/or governmental areas to provide a definedenclosure. Such enclosed areas, however, create an institutionalappearance and are generally unattractive. In addition, because of thepost-supported interwoven wires which produce a matrix of square ordiamond shaped openings from the wires crossing over each other, suchchain link fences offer little, if any, privacy for the areas enclosedor activities within those areas.

While various attempts have been made to decorate chain link fences andthe appearance thereof, such devices generally have employed strips ofmaterial which are interwoven through the fence matrix, or individualpieces of decorative material which is secured to the fence byinterlocking to the matrix-forming structure to close the opening in thematrix and provide privacy or protection from the wind.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of theproblems or disadvantages associated with the prior devices. As will bemore readily understood and fully appreciated from the followingdetailed descriptions of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the invention is embodied in an improved insert for a chainlink fence wherein a plurality of such inserts, each formed in a shapesubstantially the same as the square or diamond shaped matrix formed bythe wires of the fence crossing over each, are connected to each otherentrapping there between the wires from which the fence is formed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objectives of the invention, together with additional featurescontributing thereto and advantages accruing therefrom, will be apparentfrom the following description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention which is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a frontal perspective view of an insert of theinvention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a rear perspective view of the insert illustrated inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a top planar view of the insert illustrated in FIG.1;

FIG. 4 illustrates a side elevational view of the insert illustrated inFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates a rear planar view of the insert illustrated in FIG.1;

FIG. 6 illustrates a section of a chain link fence with a plurality ofinserts interlocked with each other entrapping the wires from which thefence is formed there between;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 6 taken along thelines 7-7;

FIG. 8 illustrates a gate of a chain link fence with a plurality ofinserts having different colors selectively placed in the fence matrixto form a design;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of an edge clip attachable to aninsert which may be placed at the outer edge of a perimeter insert toform an edge of the insert pattern formed on the chain link fencematrix;

FIG. 10 is a frontal planar view of the edge clip illustrated in FIG. 9;and

FIG. 11 is an end elevational view of the edge clip illustrated in FIG.9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 apreferred embodiment of a chain link fence insert 100 which ispreferably molded from plastic and can be fabricated in various colors.By arranging various colored inserts 100 in a pattern, a design ormessage can be created in the fence matrix, or by arranging the samecolored inserts 100 in the fence matrix a uniformly colored fence can beformed. As illustrated in these drawings, the insert 100 is formed in asubstantially square or diamond shape to conform to the matrix openings10 (illustrated in FIG. 6) of a chain link fence. The insert 100 has oneface 101 (referred to for convenience of illustration as a “front” face)and an opposed face 102 (referred to for convenience of illustration asa “rear” face). These references, however, are only used for convenienceof illustration, and assist in the description of the positioning of oneinsert relative to an adjoining insert on a chain link fence into whichthe inserts are placed.

Each insert 100 has the front face 101 spaced downwardly from anupwardly turned circumscribing lip 120, and the lip 120 is rolledoutwardly at its uppermost position 121 above the front face 100 andthen extends downwardly 122 to form an interior curved recess 123. Therecess 123 is formed to receive a portion of a wire 11 forming thematrix of the chain link fence between the outer surface 124 of theupwardly turned lip 120 and the curved recess 123. A substantiallycentral portion of the lip 120 on each side of the insert 100 is formedwith a locking tab 130 which functions to interlock one insert 100 to anadjoining insert 100 a thereby securing the inserts one to the other,and entrapping the wire 11 of the chain link fence on the two parallelsides of the insert 100 which are not interlocked with an adjacentinsert 100 a. Each of the four locking tabs 130 formed on the inserts100, 100 a is constructed in the same manner. In the drawings, referenceto the same parts for an adjacent insert 100 a are identified by thesame reference numerals with an “a” notation.

The downwardly extending portion of the lip 122 which forms a lockingtab 130, extends downwardly a distance beyond the depth of the frontface 101 as best illustrated in FIG. 3. As is known, the wires 11forming the face of a chain link fence do not lie in the same plane, butbecause of the wire crossovers lie in parallel planes as bestillustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. Consequently the interior side 131 of thedistal end 132 of the locking tab 130 is formed with an inwardly spacedand upwardly turned tang 133 which functions to engage a correspondingtang 133 a of an adjacent, but obversely positioned, insert 100 a tointerlock the two inserts while a length of the matrix forming wire 11is entrapped between the curved inner surface 123 and the outer surface124 of the lip 120 on the other two parallel sides of each insert. Thetwo parallel interlocking sides of the insert become interlocked by theengagement of the respective tangs 133 and 133 a and effectively offsetadjacent inserts in parallel planes corresponding to the two parallelplanes in which the fence wires 11 lie. In this manner each one of thetwo tangs 133 which depend from insert 100 on parallel sides, willinterlock with an adjacent tang 133 a of an adjacent, but obverselypositioned, insert 100 a to thereby interlock the two inserts. The twoother parallel sides of insert 100 will thereby entrap the wire 11between the inner curved surface 123 and the outer surface 124 of thelip 120 on the other two parallel sides of the insert 100 in the mannerdescribed above. Each locking tab 130 is also formed with an opening134.

In use, an insert 100 is placed into an opening in the chain link fencematrix with the front face 101 or the rear face 102 facing outwardly. Inthis manner a fence forming wire 11 will be positioned adjacent theinterior curved recess 123 and the outer lip surface 124 on two parallelsides of the insert 100. Another insert 100 a is placed through anadjacent matrix opening in the fence with the opposite face facingoutwardly, front or rear depending upon the outward face of the insert100 already positioned in the fence matrix. In this manner two parallelcoplanar portions of the fence wire 11 are positioned between the curvedrecess interior 123 and the interior wall 124 of the lip 120 on twosides of the insert 100 as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 when the insertis interlocked with an insert 100 a placed adjacent to insert 100, butpositioned obverse thereto. As illustrated in FIG. 7, one of the tangs133 on one of the other two non-wire entrapping parallel sides of theinsert 100 interlocks with a tang 133 a of the adjacent insert 100 a tointerlock the two inserts 100 and 100 a to each other to thereby entrapthe wire 11. This process is then repeated on all sides of the insert(s)until the desired design and/or color for the matrix is completed, anexample of which is illustrated in FIG. 8. A raised post 103 extendsoutwardly from the front and rear faces 101 and 102 to receiveadditional decorative items such as a number or a star which would beretained on the post. While one post 103 is illustrated, it is to beunderstood that more than one post could be used to enhance retention ofsuch decorative items on the face 101 or rear 102 of an insert 100.

When the design and/or color have been completed, the peripheral edge ofan insert which is not going to be interlocked with another insert, canhave an edge clip 140 applied thereto for closing the exposed lock tab130. As illustrated in FIGS. 9-11, the edge clip 140 has an inwardlycurved recess 141 formed in a configuration to engage the outwardlycurved lip 120 of an adjacent insert 100. The edge clip 140 extendsdownwardly from the curved portion 141 forming a closed face 142 overthe adjacent lock tab 130. The interior of the edge clip 140, thatportion facing the adjacent lock tab 130 when the edge clip 140 ispositioned in engagement with an insert 100, has an upwardly extendingwall 144 terminating in a concave distal end 146 for engaging andentrapping the adjacent chain link fence wire 11 passing between theconcave distal end 132 of the edge clip 140 and the interior curvedsurface 123 of the adjacent side of the insert 100. An outwardlyextending tab 145 is provided on the edge clip 140 to facilitate itsplacement.

While this invention has been described in the specification andillustrated in the drawing with reference to a preferred embodiment, thestructure of which has been disclosed herein, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art to which this invention pertains that variouschanges may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements ofthe invention without departing from the scope of the claims. Therefore,it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particularembodiment disclosed in the specification and shown in the drawings asthe best mode presently known by the inventor for carrying out thisinvention, nor confined to the details set forth, but that the inventionwill include all embodiments, modifications and changes as may comewithin the scope of the following claims:.

1. An insert for placement into the matrix of a chain link fence forforming a design or providing a color thereto, the insert comprising: abase having a recessed face and outwardly extending circumscribing sidesadapted to engage a length of wire which in part forms the matrix of achain link fence; said base including two parallel sides for receiving aportion of a length of wire which in part forms the matrix of a chainlink fence; said base further including locking means for engaging andinterlocking said insert with another said insert positioned adjacentand obverse thereto; said locking means being positioned to engage acorresponding locking means on said adjacent and obverse insert tointerconnect said inserts on adjacent sides thereby entrapping thelength of wire received in the two parallel sides of the insert therein.2. The insert of claim 1 wherein said base has a substantially squareshape.
 3. The insert of claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises alocking tab formed from a portion of a side of said base and extendsoutwardly therefrom a distance beyond the depth of said face recess. 4.The insert of claim 3 wherein said locking means is formed on at leasttwo sides of said base.
 5. The insert of claim 1 further including anedge clip adapted to engage said locking means and to be secured theretofor entrapping a length of wire which in part forms the matrix of achain link fence, and said edge clip closing said locking means.
 6. Theinsert of claim 5 wherein said edge clip includes a curved recess formedin a configuration to engage a side of said base, and further includes aclosed portion extending from said curved recess.
 7. The insert of claim6 further including locking means formed on said edge clip and adaptedto engage a mating locking means of an insert positioned adjacentthereto.
 8. The insert of claim 1 further including attaching meanscarried by said base for engaging and securing a decorative itemthereto.
 9. The insert of claim 1 wherein said base includes two sets ofparallel outwardly extending circumscribing sides.
 10. The insert ofclaim 1 wherein each one of said outwardly extending circumscribingsides includes a locking means supported therefrom.